The majority of archaeological work conducted in Ontario is performed in the context of land use planning and development. When a development is likely to affect cultural resources, proponents are required by provincial law (the Ontario Heritage Act) to hire licensed professional archaeologists to perform the necessary archaeological assessment(s).

For a brief overview of the four stages of archaeological assessment in Ontario, click here.

To view the Ontario Heritage Act, click here.  To read the entire 2011 Standards and Guidelines for Consultant Archaeologists, click here to be redirected to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport webpage, where you can download the PDF free of charge.